X-Rays are probably the most familiar type of imagery often associated with A&E and broken bones. The invention of the X-Ray facility was arguably one of the greatest breakthroughs in the medical field in its day, but did you know it was happened upon by pure accident. A German scientist called Wilhelm Roentgen, in the late 19th Century, was experimenting with electon beams when he noticed a that flourescent screen in his room lit up when a certain type of beam hit it. When he tried to block the beam with his hand a rough image of the bones in his hand were projected on to the screen and so was the birth of the X-Ray.
The picture films are generated by firing a beam of X-Rays through the area of your body where the injury or complaint is. Due to the differing densities of the tissues and bones in our body these beams travel through with varying success and speed. The beams that make it through then interact with a special chemical film and the outcome is the photo like those shown below.
X-Rays are harmful to us humans which is why the radiographer will be wearing a lead vest or standing in a lead lined isolation chamber. X-Rays for this reason are used sparingly nowadays but in this capacity are fine with the benefits far outweighing the minimal risks.
It is generally accepted nowadays that unless a specific condition or injury that is best shown up by X-Ray is suspected, there is little benefit to X-Raying the lumbar spine. A significant proportion of the complaints that necessitate a specialist consultation will show up in far more detail on an MRI scan or in some cases, a CT scan. For this reason, do not be to diassapointed if your GP does not want to do a plain X-Ray because it may not help you anyway.
As with most radiological imagery, the physics behind how its works are too complicated to be written here but if you would like to know more, then the following links will provide you with as much learning as you’ll realistically need!
